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These activity calendars include daily tips to help put protective factors into action with families. Each day of the week corresponds to one of the protective factors. The activities were submitted by local Strengthening Families sites.

This Resource Guide was developed to support service providers in their work with parents, caregivers, and their children to prevent child abuse and neglect and promote child and family well-being. It was created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Children's Bureau, Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, its Child Welfare Information Gateway, and the FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention. The resources featured represent the work of a broad-based partnership of national organizations, Federal partners, and parents committed to strengthening families and communities.

The Prevention Resource Guide was developed to support service providers in their work with parents, caregivers, and their children to prevent child abuse and neglect and promote child and family well-being. It focuses on protective factors that build on family strengths to foster healthy child and youth development. The resources featured represent the work of a partnership of national organizations, Federal partners, and parents committed to strengthening families and communities.

The Prevention Resource Guide was developed to support service providers in their work with parents, caregivers, and their children to prevent child abuse and neglect and promote child and family well-being. It focuses on protective factors that build on family strengths to foster healthy child and youth development. The resources featured represent the work of a partnership of national organizations, Federal partners, and parents committed to strengthening families and communities.

Presents key data from Child Maltreatment 2021, the 32nd edition of the annual reports on child abuse and neglect produced by the Children’s Bureau within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The report is based on data voluntarily submitted by child welfare agencies through the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). NCANDS collects case-level data on all children who received a child protective services response in the form of an investigation or an alternative response.

Discusses laws that extend legal protection to children who may be harmed by witnessing acts of domestic violence in their homes. The issues examined include the circumstances that constitute "witnessing" domestic violence and the legal consequence to persons who commit the domestic violence, such as enhanced penalties and fines. This publication presents a general overview of this aspect of child welfare law.

Discusses laws that require members of the clergy to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. The issue of whether a member of the clergy can claim privileged communications as a reason for not reporting also is discussed. Full-text excerpts of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

Discusses State laws that authorize cross-reporting and information sharing among the agencies that must respond to reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. Typically, reports are shared among social services agencies, law enforcement departments, and prosecutors' offices. Other requirements also are addressed, including notifying military authorities when a report involves a member of a military family and notifying the appropriate Tribal authority when a report involves a child who is a member or is eligible for membership of a Native American Tribe.

Presents State civil laws that define the conduct, acts, and omissions that constitute child abuse or neglect that must be reported to child protective agencies. The types of maltreatment defined include physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and abandonment.

Provides an overview of both civil and criminal definitions of domestic violence. The definition often varies depending on the context in which the term is used. Statutory definitions across the States generally describe specific conduct or acts that are subject to civil and criminal actions, and the specific language used may vary depending on whether the definition is found in the civil or criminal sections of the State's code.

Provides a brief overview of the purposes and functions of the child welfare system and includes a flowchart illustrating how cases typically move through the system.

Discusses laws that designate the groups of professionals that are required to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect. The factsheet also addresses reporting by other persons, the responsibilities of institutions in making reports, standards for making a report, and confidentiality of the reporter's identity.

Discusses laws that impose penalties, in the form of fines, jail time, or both, on mandatory reporters who fail to report cases of suspected child abuse and neglect as required by the reporting laws. State laws also may impose penalties on any person who knowingly makes a false report of abuse or neglect. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

Examines State laws that specify when a state court must provide legal representation for a child involved in child abuse and neglect proceedings and whether that representative must be an attorney, guardian ad litem, or a court-appointed special advocate. The qualifications, training, specific duties, and compensation of the representative also are addressed. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

Provides an overview of State laws related to how States must respond to meet the needs of children who have been subjected to sex trafficking. The issues discussed include the respective duties of child welfare and law enforcement agencies, training requirements, diversion of child victims from prosecution to appropriate services, the array of services provided, and ways of funding services and programs for victims. Summaries of laws for all States and U.S. territories are included.

Examines the statistics and research related to maltreatment of children with disabilities, risk factors, and strategies for prevention. Issues encountered when assessing a child with a disability for maltreatment are explored; and information about promising prevention, collaboration, and training approaches are outlined.

Explores what the research shows about the overlap among families experiencing poverty and those reported to the child welfare system for neglect, the societal context within which both poverty and neglect exist, and strategies that have proven effective for preventing and addressing both poverty and neglect, together. The strategies presented in this brief should be viewed as part of a larger movement within the child welfare system away from a focus on surveilling and separating families experiencing poverty and toward collaborating with a broader social services system to ensure that all families have access to the resources and support they need to care for their children and thrive.

Discusses State laws and policies that provide guidance to caseworkers for conducting safety and risk assessments of families and children who are the subjects of child abuse and neglect reports. Other issues discussed include safety planning, assessments of family strengths and needs, ongoing assessments over the life of the case, and assessments required for reunification or case closure.

Outlines the legal definition of child abuse and neglect; the different types of abuse and neglect; and the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect, including human trafficking. It also includes information on how to effectively identify and report maltreatment and refer children who have been maltreated as well as additional resources.

Provides an overview of child welfare and describes how educators and child welfare workers can collaborate to prevent child abuse and neglect and ensure children involved in child welfare receive the services and supports they need to succeed in school.

Provides health-care professionals—including pediatricians, family practice providers, hospital nurses, school nurses, and urgent care clinicians—with an overview of the field of child welfare and suggests ways that health-care professionals and child welfare workers can work together to promote better outcomes for children and families involved with child welfare, including children in foster care. Links to resources are also included.